Girls soccer now faces the pull of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy

Bronxville's Rachael Peacock and Irvington's Zoe Maxwell match up during a game at Irvington. They both decided to play for their high school teams, rather than academy soccer.
Peter Carr/The Journal News

The ability to read a chaotic situation on the run and react with relative grace is what sets Zoe Maxwell apart from her peers.

Off the pitch, too.

Maxwell had to make a difficult decision in a hurry over the weekend after learning her wish to play one last season at Irvington High School clashed with her desire to play a more competitive brand of soccer on a U.S. Soccer Development Academy team.

Pearl River girls soccer coach talks with his team at halftime of Tuesday's 1-1 tie at John Jay-Cross River.(Photo11: Mike Dougherty/The Journal News)

"Originally, I tried to play both," said Maxwell, who scored a goal in the season-opener for New York City FC and was reminded by the organization that playing with any outside team is against the rules.

The maneuver inspired all kinds of commentary by nameless individuals populating the online message boards.

"I wanted to play academy because it’s a high level and I wanted to get ready for college next year," added Maxwell, who is heading to Brown. "But this is my senior year and I’ll never get it back, so I definitely wanted to continue with my high school team."

This fall, nearly 30 players from the Lower Hudson Valley decided to move on , and are listed on the U-16 and U-18 rosters of the two local Academy clubs - Sky Blue NYSC and New York City FC.

It's a wrinkle expected to have a profound impact on soccer in Section 1.

A number of contending teams like Greeley, Suffern, Harrison, Clarkstown South and John Jay were left with holes in the lineup.

Naturally, the migration of talent has inspired a contentious response.

"The good kids are going to rise to the top," said Pearl River coach Tim Peabody, whose Pirates went to a state title game last fall. "Soccer is no longer a minor sport. People are figuring it out. The girls were already playing elite club soccer. Unless you form regional all-star teams instead of local Academy teams, you’re telling these kids they’re something they’re not."

In other words, there is no guarantee the best of the best are wearing Development Academy colors. For anyone with a love of soccer and country, the redesigned logo and the unspoken red, white and blue promise it represents can be intoxicating.

Rachael Peacock was never tempted.

The standout midfielder at Bronxville understands the importance of training and competing alongside elite players. She also understands how much team pasta dinners and noisy bus rides add to the high school experience.

"My club team split up and some of the girls went Academy," Peacock said. "I can’t imagine not spending time with this team in the fall season."

How many of the 6,000 girls on Academy rosters this season will go on to play for U.S. Soccer in an international event? The answer will define this program. Are the Development Academy teams a pathway to the highest levels of the game or a ploy to grab a share of the $15 billion youth sports marketplace?

"I think in the end, it only impacts 1-percent of the 1-percent," Peabody said.

Systematic approach to dominance

The desire to keep up with the Messis and Ronaldos inspired U.S. Soccer to redirect a number of premier youth soccer clubs in 2007. The resulting Academy teams were modeled after programs in Europe and South America that identify elite players and move them forward in a highly competitive environment with systematic training under the watchful eye of senior coaches.

Improving national team results on the world stage is the objective.

"Our goal is to develop players and programs that compete at the highest levels, not just high school and college, but national and international teams," said Stephan Feldgoise, the president of Sky Blue NYSC, which is based in Chappaqua. "A systematic, concentrated program that is focused on development versus results was critical for the U.S. and that was really the genesis of the boys program. I think it’s quite similar on the girls side."

Initially, the Development Academy teams were only open to boys.

The program is constantly evolving and earlier this summer U.S. Soccer brought 69 girls clubs online across the country.

Currently, there are 197 clubs under the Academy umbrella. Most are based in suburban hotbeds. The boys start on U-12 teams. The girls start on U-14 teams.

So far, 24 players with Academy experience have suited up for the U.S. Men's National Team.

The U.S. Women's National Team has a long history of World Cup and Olympic success, which has more than a few insiders questioning the need for a new pipeline.

"On the international level, the U.S. for many years was ahead of a lot of the world and I think a lot of the world is catching up," Feldgoise added.

Not everyone agrees.

"That’s a theory that works for U.S. Soccer," said Peabody, who noted the longtime success of the U.S. women's team. "It doesn’t work for the kids."

Yes, the objective is to land the best players in each market.

"We kind of define a top-level players as very athletic, technically proficient and self-motivated," said Christian Gonzalez, the academy director for Sky Blue NYSC. "We’re looking for players who want to play at the highest possible levels whether that be top-level college, youth national teams or professional."

The season runs from September to July. A typical week includes four mandatory practices and one game on the weekend.

"We do give homework they need to do on their own time," said Carlos Mejia, who is the director of coaching for Sky Blue NYSC. "All of the games are video-taped and broken down so they can review technical and tactical analysis."

Rules are in place to ensure players start a minimum number of games. Overuse is an issue for the players who bounce from high school to club teams. Development Academy teams limit practices to 90 minutes and cannot play more than one game on any given day.

Each club is required to have a certified athletic trainer on site.

The cost of participation depends on the club, but the all-in figure ranges from $3,000 to $5,000 per season. Most clubs offer scholarships to players who demonstrate a need. Some have have non-profit status, which helps with fundraising but doesn't preclude officers and staff from taking home a tidy sum.

U.S. Soccer hired nine technical advisors to provide regional guidance to the Academy teams and help identify prospects for national training centers and teams.

Altering the high school landscape

There are eight girls Academy clubs operating in the Northeast, five in New York State.

New York City FC is based in the city and usually trains in Westchester and Rockland. FC Fury NY is based in Bay Shore, Long Island SC is based in Plainview and Empire United is based in Rochester.

While a number of players who have already committed to play at the collegiate level have decided to continue on with their high school and club teams, it's hard to argue that another region has lost a great percentage of impact players than Section 1.

It only takes a couple of untimely defections to derail a high school program.

"Absolutely," longtime Bronxville coach Don Cupertino said. "I know of teams that lost two or three girls. You lose two or three of your better kids and you’re not going to be the same team you were before they left. It’s very difficult, there’s no question about it."

The conflicts began in 2012 when U.S. Soccer expanded the DA season and began enforcing a rule that prohibits players from competing for outside teams. It led to immediate departures from high school programs across Section 1 with some 30 boys opting to play for Development Academy teams.

A handful of all-stars go back and forth now each season.

Nolan Fierro was part of an Academy team last fall and watched his Somers classmates celebrate a state title. He's back with the Tuskers this season and has been a legitimate presence from the start.

"It’s a big decision," said the senior forward who has attracted interest from the likes of St. John's and UMass. "Playing academy is a whole different level and you have to motivate yourself to do that. High school soccer is more about playing for the name on your jersey and being with family. Having that atmosphere at games and practices, there’s nothing better."

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Pearl River junior Sarah Donovan puts a shot on net Tuesday during a 1-1 tie at John Jay-Cross River.(Photo11: Mike Dougherty/The Journal News)

Cate Feerick and Sarah Donovan were close to walking away, but the memory of last fall kept them in the fold at Pearl River.

The promise of a full-time experience alongside highly-skilled players was alluring.

"It’s very fast-paced," said Feerick, a senior midfielder who committed to play at Marist. "You get to play with a lot of kids who live and breathe soccer. It’s more do or die than just fun, I guess. They do push you along, but a lot of the girls who say Academy is better, they don’t really have a high school team like this. We have coach Peabody to push us and some of their schools are not very good.

"Every day this summer I would be thinking about it and my dad would ask, ‘What are you going to remember more in 50 years?’ Thinking about how far we went and how great that feeling was, there was no way I could leave it."

Games are only a small part of the Academy plan. Individual development is higher on the list of priorities than team competition.

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Pearl River senior Cate Feerick assesses her options before moving the ball Tuesday during a 1-1 tie at John Jay-Cross River.(Photo11: Mike Dougherty/The Journal News)

"On the high school and club side, the focus can be on having a volume of matches," Gonzalez said. "What’s better for players and their development is having a better training-to-match ratio, which is at least 4-to-1. Outside the Development Academy it can be vastly different."

That is appealing to some athletes.

Emotions often run high in sports and there is are usually some bad feelings when a classmate breaks away to concentrate on a club team.

"That was definitely a factor," Donovan said. "I made the decision very last minute and was going back and forth. Seeing my old teammates going out for practice without me would’ve been very hard to deal with. For most of the summer I was leaning toward Academy. I was trying to think long term, but I think I made the right decision."

Not every high school program has the credibility and pull that comes with a long history of success.

What happens at places where the best sophomores and juniors leave to play for Academy teams? Do they come back to play for a struggling program? What happens if the Academy clubs add U-10 and U-11 teams? Is the next generation out the door before starting middle school?

"I coached the boys when they went through this whole mess and now it’s caught up to the girls," Irvington coach Pat DiBenedetto said. "They’re forced to make a decision to play with friends or play with girls at a different level."

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